What is Shamanism and how does it influence Aaron’s bodywork?

Shamanism is an ancient tradition occurring globally, yet arising independently within separate indigenous cultures. A central Shaman or Medicine Woman/Man working with spirit and the wisdom of nature acts as intermediary between ordinary consciousness and spirit. Shamans use this ability to diagnose & heal illness, lead societies and influence events in harmony with nature and spirit.

Shamans utilize Techniques of Ecstasy to conduct their work with spirit. Traditionally a Technique of Ecstasy is a trance state induced via an ecstatic ritual, providing access to the axis mundi& supernatural realms. Ecstatic ritual trance methods vary uniquely by culture and include but aren’t limited to drumming, dance, song, chant, meditation, mantra and psychedelics as the catalyst. Some Shamans learn to and enter trance at will, without external ritual.

Many Shamans use a technique known as “Soul Retrieval” where the trance journey leads them to a fragment or piece of the soul, that split off and was left behind during trauma experienced earlier in life. Trauma causes us to fragment our souls. If an experience is too uncomfortable or painful to be consciously understood and integrated, it’s easier to dissociate the part of our being that is overwhelmed and pretend it is a separate and external thing. There this shard will remain, ignored, alone, probably afraid, until we go back and get it. This tends to be something we need someone else to do for us (Shaman), due to the nature of dissociation feeling like whatever has been dissociated has nothing to do with us. Healing occurs when these shards we did not want to feel become reconnected and integrated back into the whole of our being.

Aaron has found holding patterns in muscles and fascia often involve sensory dissociation from the regions of the nervous system that had to hold/brace the body during experiences of trauma and pain, and during healing.

Often, the habitual/chronic contraction of the tissue is due to the nature of the holding pattern itself. A holding pattern exists as a reflex arc, below conscious awareness to help not feel something. When a holding pattern blocks out the “bad” feelings, it also tends to obscure the memory of what that region felt like when it felt “good”. It simply becomes a void of sensation the rest of the body dances awkwardly around… a dance the mind tries hard to pretend is normal.

Focused by the mantra “comfort”, Aaron’s sessions become an ecstatic ritual where spirit can offer pragmatic visions relevant to the session and guidance toward healing. These visions offer simple metaphorical understanding of where a holding pattern has been in use, why it was of service, and suggestions of how it may be convinced to cease. These suggestions are visions of new metaphors, representing a healthy relationship with that region of the body, and give the client a concrete way to perceive and change their patterns. Through this connection with spirit and visions of holding, the client’s consciousness and innate healing abilities are invited back into their nervous system and tissues. The result is self-awareness that helps you be the authority of your own comfort, knowing when you can heal yourself and knowing when you need to ask for help.

There are pains we should move into, there are pains we should move away from, there are appropriate times for both. The body is a faithful servant built to and wanting to help with either. Make an appointment and explore which is which, in a spiritually connected environment via pain-free, comfort and consciousness generating fascial bodywork.